Loaded-board, guided-probe test fixture

摘要

A guided-probe test fixture is disclosed for connecting circuit cards having electronic components to a board test system. The test fixture utilizes long, leaning or vertical test probes, guide plates (516) and limited probe tip travel in order to achieve high-accuracy, fine-pitch probing of limited -access, no-clean test targets (520). The guided-probe test fixture of the present invention also utilizes spring probes, probe-mounting plates (524), personality pins (528) and an alignment plate (534) in order to couple test targets (520) with multiplexed tester resources (500). The guided-probe test fixture of the present invention may also utilize a universal interface plate (852) with double-headed spring probes (854) and/or a wireless interface printed circuit board (502) to facilitate the electrical coupling of test targets (520) to tester resources (500). Accordingly, the guided-probe test fixture of the present invention is capable of sophisticated in-circuit and functional testing of a loaded-printed circuit board (518) containing both standard-access and limited-access, no-clean test targets (520). The present invention is also capable of improved probing accuracy, improved no-clean testability and improved fine-pitch probing of limited-access test targets (520), while at the same time capable of probing standard-access test targets (520). <IMAGE>